USYD - what's it all about? (Q. re BEd/BArts) (1 Viewer)

[NobodyKnows]

To the Mods: If this thread is in the wrong place, I'm sorry. Please forgive?

OK, so I'm in Yr 12, and in keeping my options open, I'm thinking about applying for USYD for next year. Am looking at doing B.Education (English) / B.Arts (Psychology, maybe something else English-based, who knows?). The trouble is - I live 2 hours north of Sydney, and my closest University is Newcastle - and I reeeeally don't wanna go there!! I suppose commuting is an option, but that could be quite tedious....

I guess what I'm asking is - what's USYD like? Any first-years living either on- or off-campus care to share your experiences? Any information that you guys can offer would be greatly appreciated. Accommodation? Financial ad? Part-time job? Independence?

Thnx in advance.

 

[Nebuchanezzar]

Re: USYD - what's it all about?

Doesn't your Arts component have to match your teaching component? As in, if you wish to become an English teacher, doesn't your arts major have to be literature or something similar in order to qualify to be an English teacher? Perhaps UNSW (and everywhere else) does it differently to USyd, who knows.

Anyway, commuting, for you, is definately not an option. I have to go from Camden to Campbelltown station, then from Campbelltown station to Central, then from Central to Kensington and believe me it gets a little tedious. It's all well and good for study, but commuting from Newcastle (where I imagine there would be quite limited services) would be a death trap of boredom.

 

[NobodyKnows]

Re: USYD - what's it all about?

I'm not all too familiar with major and minor studies.... but if anything, I suppose I'd end up being an English teacher, with maybe Humanities or Drama.... ooook I have no idea. Excuse the ignorance.

I commute to Gosford every week for other commitments, and that's hard enough.... don't think I could handle getting to and from Sydney.

 

[Nebuchanezzar]

Re: USYD - what's it all about?

Well, from the UAC book...

Major Studies: All student's follow a core program of study in education, along with intensive study and professional experience in a teaching area such as drama, English, history, languages, Jewish studies, HSIE (society and culture, business studies, commerce).

Minor Studies: A second teaching subject. Students may qualify for a third teaching method (TESOL only). Computer studies, economics, geography or mathematics may be taken as a minor only in this degree.

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http://www.edsw.usyd.edu.au/future_students/undergraduate/bed_sec_hss.shtml

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I'm not terribly familiar with how USyd does these degrees, but I can offer you information on how UNSW does it. Basically for the first 3 years you do a major in a faculty subject (eg: pharmacology for science, drama for arts, mathematics for mathematics) as well as general study in education. In the fourth year you're essentially done with the science/arts components and you move onto a more rigorous program in education, which includes a specialisation in your chosen teaching area. You also have room to finish your major component.

From what I can gather from the USyd website, they focus more on educating you in your chosen field, and you spread your major in arts over a greater amount of time. Either way, both uni's offer the same qualification in the end, with USyd's going for a bit longer. I will take this opportunity to ask you to consider UNSW if you don't get into USyd.

As for USyd, I've been past there a few times and it's in a genuinely nice area, much nicer than the area UNSW is in. USyd is in a much more urban and upmarket location...of sorts, whereas UNSW is crammed into a smaller space on a large hill. After examining what people say about each, they both seem to be roughly equal in terms of campus life and such, and each uni has it's own faculty strengths. UNSW has a strong engineering and science component, whereas USyd is very strong in law and arts/humanities.

 

[Libbster]

Re: USYD - what's it all about?

hey i moved from newcastle to go to usyd and i definitely recommend staying at one of the colleges. there is no way you can commute from newcastle as it will end up being a 4hr oneway trip. it can take 2hrs to get from the hornsby turnoff along victoria rd to usyd because of congestion (in peak hour). victoria rd is one of the worst arterial roads in syd, and traffic crawls the entire length.

when i first moved down, i stayed at ryde, and it took me 2hrs on a bus to get to usyd, as there was no direct route, so i had to bus into the city and then bus back out along george st to usyd. i was then so tired when i got home i could barely do any work. sydney traffic is crazy, sometimes it takes 3.5 -4hrs to get home on a friday evening because of traffic, so if possible, stay at a college or somewhere close in newton or glebe.

if u need anymore info, feel free to ask

 

[Nebuchanezzar]

Re: USYD - what's it all about?

Or stay at Redfern. It's a nice area, it's rigfht next to the Darlinton campus and it's cheap...plus a little crime ridden...don't forget about UNSW!

 

[Sarah168]

Re: USYD - what's it all about?

I don't think B Ed/ B Arts (Psych) is offered anymore Which is sad because I want to transfer into it but it hasn't been offered since 04

 

[Generator]

Re: USYD - what's it all about?

hey i moved from newcastle to go to usyd and i definitely recommend staying at one of the colleges. there is no way you can commute from newcastle as it will end up being a 4hr oneway trip. it can take 2hrs to get from the hornsby turnoff along victoria rd to usyd because of congestion (in peak hour). victoria rd is one of the worst arterial roads in syd, and traffic crawls the entire length.

It's called a train, Libbster.

 

[ujuphleg]

Re: USYD - what's it all about?

It's called a train, Libbster.

You have to admit though, even via train, its still going to be at least 3 hours on the train each day, if not more.

If you are coming from Newcastle, it would be a good idea to have a look at accomodation options on campus and around Sydney.

For all the on-campus colleges, have a look at this website http://www.usyd.edu.au/fstudent/undergrad/life/ssm/college.shtml
It gives you all the names and contacts of the respective colleges.

You should also come to the Open day in August, to have a look and feel for the campus before you make your decision.

 

[kami]

To the Mods: If this thread is in the wrong place, I'm sorry. Please forgive?

OK, so I'm in Yr 12, and in keeping my options open, I'm thinking about applying for USYD for next year. Am looking at doing B.Education (English) / B.Arts (Psychology, maybe something else English-based, who knows?). The trouble is - I live 2 hours north of Sydney, and my closest University is Newcastle - and I reeeeally don't wanna go there!! I suppose commuting is an option, but that could be quite tedious....

I guess what I'm asking is - what's USYD like? Any first-years living either on- or off-campus care to share your experiences? Any information that you guys can offer would be greatly appreciated. Accommodation? Financial ad? Part-time job? Independence?

Thnx in advance.

I'm sorry to say that the BEd(Secondary)/BA(Psych) doesn't exist anymore, I sooo wanted to do that too but then 'pop' it dissapeared. The only other education/psych degrees in the state are offered at MQ and CSU. The MQ is a BA(Psych)/DipEd(Primary), and the CSU one is BSocSci(Psych)/BTeach(Secondary) except with the CSU one, to recieve qualifications equivalent to the USYD one you need to apply to TEACHNSW for a scholarship/diploma program for an extra year afterward.

Alternatively, you could always apply for a normal BA majoring in Psych at USYD (or anywhere else) and so long as you have an english literature major as well you can apply for a grad teaching program[which is what I plan to do] like the MTeach or DipEd(Secondary:English) which would give you pretty much the same qualifications as the BEd(Secondary)/BA(Psych). Takes the same amount of time as well.

 

[Libbster]

Re: USYD - what's it all about?

Ummmmm wtf. I live in Ryde. Takes 40-60 mins to get to usyd.

what time do u start? i'm talking about starting at 8am and catching a bus and if that's how long it takes you, u must know a backway or something!

 

[Generator]

Re: USYD - what's it all about?

You have to admit though, even via train, its still going to be at least 3 hours on the train each day, if not more.

True, but that doesn't change the fact that Libbster is being overly negative.

Where do you actually live, NobodyKnows? How do you measure the two hours? Are you on or near the train line? If so, a two hour trip on a train isn't that out of ordinary and it does give you time in which to read (and sleep). Still, I should say that it seems that for everyone I knew who stayed at home and endured 4 or so hours of travel a day, another person moved out in order to save themselves the hassle.

 

[NobodyKnows]

Thank you for all the replies, you guys are fantastic.

I've been looking at accommodation around Sydney, namely Glebe, and looking into transferring from my current job to something similar in Sydney.... everything sort of runs to an end when you're in Yr 12, it's a bit sad, really.

As for the degree - not too sure yet, lol. Will definitely try for an open day, and go see my careers advisor at school tomorrow....

Now I have to think, NU (Newcastle Uni), USYD, or UNSW.... hm.

 

[NobodyKnows]

Re: USYD - what's it all about?

True, but that doesn't change the fact that Libbster is being overly negative.

Where do you actually live, NobodyKnows? How do you measure the two hours? Are you on or near the train line? If so, a two hour trip on a train isn't that out of ordinary and it does give you time in which to read (and sleep). Still, I should say that it seems that for everyone I knew who stayed at home and endured 4 or so hours of travel a day, another person moved out in order to save themselves the hassle.

2 hours is a very general term, lol. There are several stations near me so jumping on a train really isn't much of a problem - the thing is, I want to move out for Uni - nice stroke of independence is very appealing at the moment, and I don't want to go to Newcastle.

I'm catching a train into Sydney on Tuesday morning - we leave at 6.00am and get to Central at 8.22am. Sleep is good. Depending on how I handle that, I don't think commuting by train would be too disgusting.

 

[gerhard]

if you want independence and are sociable/outgoing, live off campus
if you just want somewhere to live close on campus, arent that outgoing and dont know anyone, live on campus at a college.

 

[*Ya_So_CuTe*]

Or live at Sydney University Village ( SUV) Best of both worlds!

 

[KeypadSDM]

Re: USYD - what's it all about?

4:36am train from Newcastle gets into redfern at 7:22, that's probably your best bet. Otherwise it's the 5:08 from newcastle, get into central @ 7:52am and walk.

That's for all your 8am starts.

It's not worth it, a friend of mine lives in gosford. She has serious trouble getting to uni, and avoids coming in at all if possible. Conversely, living at strathfield means it's not uncommon for me to come home during a 4 hour break.

Ergo, get accomodation near uni, no point otherwise.